Written Answers Thursday 27 May 2010

Scottish Executive

Asylum Seekers

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has sought information on how many children of asylum seekers were detained at Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre in each month of 2009 and, if so, what response it received.

Michael Russell: My officials have been informed that the UK Border Agency does not provide statistical information on a month by month basis. However, it has published quarterly reports for 2009 which are available on the UKBA website http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-publications.html.

  The reports detail the numbers of people who entered detention for immigration purposes – these include a breakdown by age and place of detention. However, they do not specify if the children were those of asylum seeking families.

  According to these reports a total of 100 children entered Dungavel detention centre.

  

Quarter (Period of Report)
No of Children Entered Dungavel


1 (January 2009 – March 2009)
25


2 (April 2009 – June 2009)
20


3 (July 2009 – September 2009)
25


4 (October 2009 – December 2009)
30


Total
100



  These figures are not subject to detailed checks. Some detainees may be recorded more than once, for example, the person has been detained on more than one separate occasion in the time period shown, such as a person who has left detention, but has subsequently been re-detained.

Asylum Seekers

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has sought clarification from the UK Government that the pledge in its coalition agreement to end detention of children in Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre will be extended to ensure the ending of dawn raids in Scotland.

Michael Russell: I welcome the Immigration Minister’s recent announcement that the detention of children at Dungavel is to end immediately. However, I remain opposed to detaining children of asylum seekers anywhere in the UK, including those who may be transferred from Scotland, and urge the new UK Government to introduce their new policy throughout the UK as quickly as possible.

  I am unclear how the UK Government will carry out its commitment to end the detention of children or whether this will include the end to dawn raids, however, I am aware that they have launched a comprehensive review. I took the opportunity to raise these issues in my letter to the new Home Secretary, Theresa May, on Tuesday 18 May and to Damian Green, the new Immigration Minister on Thursday 20 May. I also took these letters as an opportunity to offer support to the UK Government in finding a humane solution.

  I would like to take this opportunity to reassure you that my officials will be monitoring this change in practice and will continue to reaffirm our opposition to the forcible removal of children and dawn raids.

Bees

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its assessment is of the extent of (a) European and (b) American foulbrood.

Richard Lochhead: In 2009 European foulbrood was confirmed in 255 hives in 64 apiaries located in Perthshire, Angus, Inverness and Moray. 

  In 2009 American foulbrood was confirmed in 123 hives in 32 apiaries located in Inverness-shire, Perthshire and Angus and the Stranraer area.

  Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to inspect hives in spring 2010 to establish the status of disease among honeybees.

Richard Lochhead: Scottish Government Bee Inspectors commenced their programme of inspections in May 2010. Inspections have initially focussed on the apiaries of the commercial beekeepers in the Perthshire area that were most severely affected by European Foulbrood in 2009. Inspections are also being carried out in other areas where EFB and AFB was confirmed in 2009. In addition there will also be spot-checks throughout the country.

  Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its assessment is of the (a) health and (b) numbers of the bee population following the severe weather conditions in the winter of 2009-10.

Richard Lochhead: The health of the bee population will be clearer when more inspections have been completed this summer.

  An assessment of information provided by commercial bee farmers indicates that overwinter losses are highly variable between businesses, ranging from 10% or less to over 50% in a few cases. However, these losses cannot be unequivocally assigned to the impact of severe weather as a number of factors, including nutrition and health over previous years will also play a part.

  Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been committed to monitor bee diseases in 2010-11 and what the equivalent figures were for (a) 2007-08 (b) 2008-09 and (c ) 2009-10.

Richard Lochhead: Funding is not allocated directly to the monitoring of bee diseases. The Scottish Government provides funding for a number of areas in relation to the health of honeybees including support for a team of 12 bee inspectors (four full-time equivalents) and a free diagnostic service at SASA to identify and confirm the presence of varroa and notifiable bee pests and diseases.

  Scottish Government also supports an apiculture specialist at the Scottish Agricultural College to provide comprehensive advisory, training and education programmes for beekeepers throughout Scotland. In addition Scottish Government have committed a contribution of £500,000 to the £10 million Insect Pollinator research initiative which will address issues of bee health.

Central Heating

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, in view of latest figures showing that the number of central heating installations under the Energy Assistance Package, including legacy installations, amounted to around half of those carried out in the final year of the central heating programme, whether it considers that the Energy Assistance Package has matched its objectives and expectations.

Alex Neil: I am very pleased with the first year of the Energy Assistance Package (EAP), a four-stage package of help, targeted at people who are fuel poor, and recommended by the independent Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum. The EAP does much more than the old Central Heating Programme.

  In its first year the EAP delivered:

  energy savings advice provided 81,933 times; 

  helped almost a 1,000 older households to increase their annual income, on average, by £1,681; 

  helped 2,167 households to move to cheaper social tariffs, saving on average £118 a year, and

  installed heating or improved heating systems for over 11,500 households of which 7,000 installations were EAP referrals, 63% of the total. The average delivery time was a third of that under the central heating programme.

Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish a report on energy performance of non-domestic buildings, as required by section 63(6) of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.

Stewart Stevenson: It is intended to publish a report, as required by Section 63(6) of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009, by 1 April 2011.

Communities

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have applied for pressured area status.

Alex Neil: Thirteen local authorities have applied for 16 pressured area designations.

  The following designations are currently in force:

  1. East Renfrewshire (Eastwood area).

  2. Highland (all areas excluding Caithness, Sutherland and some estates in Inverness and Fort William).

  3. South Ayrshire (29 letting areas comprising much of Prestwick and Ayr, and rural settlements).

  4. Moray (Elgin, Lossiemouth and Forres rural).

  5. Fife (for St Andrews and East Neuk).

  6. Dumfries and Galloway (69 villages of population less than 400 across the local authority area).

  7. Fife (13 West Fife villages).

  8. Perth and Kinross (21 letting areas across Highland Perthshire and in the rural areas around Perth).

  9. Aberdeen City (35 letting areas across the city).

  10. North Ayrshire (11 letting areas).

  11. Aberdeenshire (88 letting areas).

  12. North Lanarkshire (Cumbernauld and Moodiesburn).

  13. Moray (Forres letting area).

  14. Stirling (35 letting areas).

  15. Moray (Speyside and Cairngorm National Park areas).

  In addition, Argyll and Bute Council has recently submitted a pressured area designation application, which is currently being reviewed by Scottish Government.

  Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the local authority areas that have been granted pressured area status.

Alex Neil: There are currently 15 pressured-area designations (PADs) in force across 12 local authority areas. The list below provides the local authority area and a description of the pressured areas.

  1. East Renfrewshire (Eastwood area)

  2. Highland (all areas excluding Caithness, Sutherland and some estates in Inverness and Fort William)

  3. South Ayrshire (29 letting areas comprising much of Prestwick and Ayr, and rural settlements)

  4. Moray (Elgin, Lossiemouth and Forres rural)

  5. Fife (for St Andrews and East Neuk)

  6. Dumfries and Galloway (69 villages of population less than 400 across the local authority area)

  7. Fife (13 West Fife villages)

  8. Perth and Kinross (21 letting areas across Highland Perthshire and in the rural areas around Perth)

  9. Aberdeen City (35 letting areas across the city)

  10. North Ayrshire (11 letting areas)

  11. Aberdeenshire (88 letting areas)

  12. North Lanarkshire (Cumbernauld and Moodiesburn)

  13. Moray (Forres letting area)

  14. Stirling (35 letting areas)

  15. Moray (Speyside and Cairngorm National Park areas).

  Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have been refused pressured area status.

Alex Neil: Scottish ministers have not refused applications for any pressured area designations outright. Occasionally certain areas within an overall application are not approved for designation because they do not meet the statutory criteria which permit a pressured area to be designated.

  Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive of those local authorities awarded pressure area status, in what year the status (a) began and (b) will end.

Alex Neil: The following list provides the local authority area, a description of the pressured areas and the date the designation commenced and is due to end.

  1. East Renfrewshire (Eastwood area) - 7 October 2005 to 6 October 2010.

  2. Highland (all areas excluding Caithness, Sutherland and some estates in Inverness and Fort William) - 15 November 2005 to 14 November 2010.

  3. South Ayrshire (29 letting areas comprising much of Prestwick and Ayr, and rural settlements) - 10 February 2006 to 9 February 2011.

  4. Moray (Elgin, Lossiemouth and Forres rural) - 7 March 2006 – 6 March 2011.

  5. Fife (for St Andrews and East Neuk) - 8 May 2006 to 7 May 2011.

  6. Dumfries and Galloway (69 villages of population less than 400 across the local authority area) - 5 June 2006 to 4 June 2011.

  7. Fife (13 West Fife villages) - 15 January 2007 to 14 January 2012.

  8. Perth and Kinross (21 letting areas across Highland Perthshire and in the rural areas around Perth) - 2 February 2007 to 1 February 2012.

  9. Aberdeen City (35 letting areas across the city) - 5 September 2007 to 4 September 2012.

  10. North Ayrshire (11 letting areas) – 14 May 2008 to 13 May 2013.

  11. Aberdeenshire (88 letting areas) – 6 November 2008 to 5 November 2013.

  12. North Lanarkshire (Cumbernauld and Moodiesburn) - 2 February 2009 to 1 February 2014.

  13. Moray (Forres letting area) – 17 February 2009 to 16 February 2014.

  14. Stirling (35 letting areas) – 25 March 2009 to 24 March 2014.

  15. Moray (Speyside and Cairngorm National Park areas) – 18 May 2010 to 17 May 2015.

Drug Misuse

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking in conjunction with NHS Ayrshire and Arran to reduce drug addiction in North Ayrshire.

Shona Robison: Our national drug strategy, The Road to Recovery, published in May 2008, is focused on recovery and the needs of the individual. NHS Ayrshire and Arran has received an extra 28% drug treatment funding since 2006-07.

  Officials are working closely with NHS Ayrshire and Arran to help them meet the treatment waiting times target, that by March 2013, 90% of people who need help with their drug problem will wait no longer than three weeks for treatment. National Support Coordinators are working with the Alcohol and Drug Partnership in North Ayrshire, to support their efforts to tackle drug misuse.

  Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many offences have been recorded by the police under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and other relevant legislation for offences relating to mephedrone and other cathinone derivatives since their ban on 16 April 2010, broken down by (a) type of offence and (b) police force area.

Fergus Ewing: The information requested is not held centrally.

Forestry

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much coastal dune system is planted with trees on the national forest estate.

Roseanna Cunningham: There are 4,540 hectares of coastal sand dune system planted with trees on the national forest estate.

Health

Bill Kidd (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what further progress has been made in response to the campaign championed by Ryan McLaughlin with regard to the importance of taking vitamin D supplements to combat multiple sclerosis and potentially other illnesses.

Nicola Sturgeon: We are working closely with the McLaughlin family and the Multiple Sclerosis Society to support a summit on vitamin D. Unfortunately the summit was postponed in May because of the volcanic ash, but has been rescheduled for 21 September 2010.

  In addition we are working with our partners to raise public awareness of the importance of vitamin D.

  Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met the chairman of NHS Forth Valley.

Nicola Sturgeon: I met the Chair of NHS Forth Valley on 24 May 2010 at the last regular meeting of NHS board chairs, when we discussed a wide range of matters affecting the delivery of patient services.

  Officials from the Scottish Government Health Directorates also meet representatives of NHS Forth Valley regularly to discuss matters of current interest affecting health services in the area.

  Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Healthier Scotland Cooking Bus is still operating.

Shona Robison: Yes, the bus is still operational 

  Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been a decision to withdraw funding from the Healthier Scotland Cooking Bus.

Shona Robison: No, we plan on the bus continuing to provide cooking sessions for schools and communities for the foreseeable future.

  Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the initial arrangement or agreement to run the Healthier Scotland Cooking Bus was for three years.

Shona Robison: Yes, the agreement was for three years, June 2008 to June 2011

  Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how long the Healthier Scotland Cooking Bus has been in operation.

Shona Robison: The bus has been in operation since it’s launch in June 2008.

  Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for the Healthier Scotland Cooking Bus.

Shona Robison: We plan on the bus continuing to provide cooking sessions for schools and communities for the foreseeable future.

Housing

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will address the fact that demand for affordable housing in the Highlands and Islands is exceeding supply.

Alex Neil: The Scottish Government, by the end of this year, will have invested over £129 million, since April 2008, through the Affordable Housing Investment Programme in the Highlands and Islands. This investment will have provided over 1,500 homes to the area. We recognise that demand exceeds supply and are working with our partners to try and find more efficient and effective ways to increase the supply of housing. New initiatives such as the Council House Build programme or the National Housing Trust offer opportunities for local authorities to engage with the Scottish Government to increase affordable housing in these areas.

  As well as increasing the supply of housing, the new Housing Bill, introduced to Parliament in January 2010, aims to safeguard existing social housing for future generations by reforming the right to buy. This will prevent new affordable housing being lost to the affordable market.

  The Highland Council has already made use of existing pressured area designation provisions to safeguard a portion of its existing stock from RTB sales and may apply to ministers to extend that designation beyond the original five year period. The Housing Bill also contains provisions to introduce more flexibility and local control over the designation of pressured areas.

  In addition to its direct funding role the Scottish Government continues to engage closely with the four local authorities, that cover the Highlands and Islands, in their strategic role of identifying local housing needs and setting local housing priorities.

  Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to abolish Home Reports.

Alex Neil: There are no plans to abolish the Home Report.

  Home Reports were introduced to provide buyers with more information upfront, helping them to make informed decisions on what for many is the biggest financial commitment of their lives.

  Home Reports are very different from Home Information Packs (HIPs) in England and Wales. The Home Report contains a Single Survey, Energy Report and Property Questionnaire whereas HIPs contain a number of legal documents but no survey. The only document that is common between the two is the Energy Performance Certificate which is an EU requirement.

Immigration

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether responsibility for immigration would be devolved to the Scottish Government under version 1 of the first ballot paper in Scotland’s Future: Draft Referendum (Scotland) Bill Consultation Paper.

Fiona Hyslop: If the proposals contained in version 1 of the first ballot paper in Scotland’s Future: Draft Referendum (Scotland) Bill Consultation Paper were enacted, the Scottish Parliament would be responsible for all laws, taxes and duties in Scotland. The exceptions, which would continue to be the responsibility of the United Kingdom Parliament, are defence and foreign affairs, financial regulation, monetary policy and the currency.

International Relations

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3O-10160 by Fiona Hyslop on 22 April 2010 (Official Report c. 25632), when it expects to publish its refreshed United States Plan.

Fiona Hyslop: The position remains as stated in my answer to S3O-10160. All answers to Oral parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-10/sor0422-02.htm#Col25636.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many racist incidents were recorded in each local authority area in (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09, broken down by ethnic origin of the victim.

Fergus Ewing: The information requested is given in tables 1 and 2 of Racist incidents by ethnic group of victim, 2007-08 and 2008-09 published by the Scottish Government in 2010, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib number 50919).

  Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many racist incidents were recorded in each police force area in (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09, broken down by ethnic origin of the victim.

Fergus Ewing: The information requested is given in tables 3 and 4 of Racist incidents by ethnic group of victim, 2007-08 and 2008-09 published by the Scottish Government in 2010, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 50919).

  Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-30787 by Kenny MacAskill on 26 January 2010, what recommendations were made to it in the report of the joint working group charged with examining possible ways of increasing the rate of implementation of Scottish Law Commission reports.

Kenny MacAskill: The Law Reform Working Group submitted its report to senior officials in the Parliament and the Scottish Government earlier this year. The Parliamentary Bureau is currently considering how to take the report forward, including how best to encourage wider debate on the report’s recommendations.

Kinship Care

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-33426 by Adam Ingram on 12 May 2010, what steps it is taking to make local authorities and kinship carers aware of the changes in respect of benefit disregard.

Adam Ingram: Changes to arrangements for disregard of certain allowances and payments to kinship carers would result from amendments to secondary legislation brought forward by the Department for Work and Pensions and primary responsibility for issuing any guidance rests with them. To ensure that local authorities and kinship carers are aware of the changes the Scottish Government has engaged with organisations providing advice on benefit and tax credit issues – such as Child Poverty Action Group and Citizens Advice Scotland on the implication of these amendments.

Mental Health

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote art therapy.

Shona Robison: A National Allied Health Professional (AHP) Mental Health Action Group was initiated in January 2009 to act as a steering group for the development of the AHP mental health action plan. This group has representation from all NHS boards (including special boards) and art therapies.

  Art therapists were involved and engaged in the first AHP Mental Health Conference in March of this year, and there was the opportunity for art therapies to present posters to outline their contribution.

  Art Therapy has been actively involved in the writing and development of an AHP Mental Health Action Plan Realising Potential. An action plan for the Allied Health Professionals in Mental Health; this is due for ministerial launch in June 2010.

  Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met representatives of the British Association of Art Therapists and what matters were discussed.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government met with representatives from the British Association of Art Therapists and other arts therapies professional bodies earlier this month to discuss their direct input to the Realising Potential. An action plan for the Allied Health Professionals in Mental Health.

  Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that art therapists are represented on the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN).

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to ensure that art therapists will have adequate opportunities to contribute to reviews of the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) guidelines.

Shona Robison: All SIGN guidelines are independently reviewed by specialist referees prior to publication and there are a number of opportunities for interested parties to get involved during the development phase.

  Decisions taken by SIGN in the development of their guidelines are entirely a matter for them and it would be inappropriate for the Scottish Government to intervene.

  However, the Scottish Government has made a commitment to work with the allied health professional (AHP) research community to explore how best to develop further research opportunities in AHP mental health practice to contribute to the development of clinical guidelines and ‘The healthcare quality strategy for NHSScotland.

  Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken in light of concerns expressed by the British Association of Art Therapists on the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) guideline 114 on Non-Pharmacological Management of Depression in Adults.

Shona Robison: The British Association of Art Therapists has not raised any concerns about SIGN 114 with the Scottish Government.

  Decisions taken by SIGN in the development of their guidelines are entirely a matter for them and it would be inappropriate for the Scottish Government to intervene.

  For those who are dissatisfied with the process taken to develop this guideline, they may wish to contact the NHS QIS Chief Executive directly at the following address:

  Ms Frances Elliot

  Chief Executive

  NHS Quality Improvement Scotland

  Elliot House

  8 – 10 Hillside Terrace

  Edinburgh

  EH17 5EA.

  Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many art therapists are employed in NHS settings, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: Published data shows an increase in arts therapy staff from 45 headcount on 30 September 2007 to 51 headcount on 30 September 2009, an increase of six head count and 13.3%.

  Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) full and (b) part-time art therapy posts there are in each NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not available centrally. However, information showing NHS staff employed by specialty and NHS board, including arts therapy, is published annually, by National Services Scotland, Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland, as part of the workforce census at 30 September each year. The latest available figures are for 30 September 2009 and are available at http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/5332.html.

  Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the number of art therapists employed in non-NHS settings, broken down by local authority area.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is not available centrally.

NHS Staff

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what work it is undertaking to reduce the rate of inflation in the NHS.

Nicola Sturgeon: There are several initiatives in place that aim to reduce the rate of inflation in the NHS. These primarily focus on the areas that consume a high percentage of the budget, i.e. pay, procurement and prescribing.

  NHS pay is determined at the UK level by independent pay review bodies. The Scottish Government feed into this process. Part of the evaluation of the pay review bodies is to consider the current state of the economy including growth, the labour market and inflation. In the procurement of services, national contracts are negotiated to ensure value for money.

  There are also initiatives in place to control the prices which the NHS is paying for both generic and proprietary drugs and to ensure remuneration arrangements for independent Primary Care contractors for 2010-11 are reasonable in current economic circumstances.

  NHS boards are also required to operate within their agreed revenue resource limit; operate within their capital resource limit; meet their cash requirement, and meet their cash efficiency target hence controlling the rate of expenditure within the NHS overall.

  Joe FitzPatrick (Dundee West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total number of NHS Tayside staff will be in 2011 compared with 2007.

Nicola Sturgeon: There are no definitive figures available yet. NHS Tayside are in the process of developing their future workforce profile in discussion with staff side representatives and have made clear there will be no redundancies. The latest figures available from Information Services Division, National Services Scotland show that the number of staff employed by NHS Tayside has increased by 537 from 2007 to 2009.

  Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Agenda for Change programme is likely to be concluded.

Nicola Sturgeon: The assimilation process of Agenda for Change is complete and all NHSScotland staff are being paid in accordance with the new system. Staff who were dissatisfied with their initial pay banding, however, had the right to request a review. The vast majority of these have now been done but some boards do still have reviews left to complete. Officials are monitoring progress closely and working with boards to establish a timeline for completion to ensure this last part of the Agenda for Change implementation process is finalised as quickly as possible.

National Health Service

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline how it will ensure a continuing robust NHS partnership with staff, patients and carers.

Nicola Sturgeon: Our Better Health Better Care Action Plan launched in August 2007, set out our commitments to a robust NHS partnership with staff, patients and carers. Actions include:

  The Better Together, Patient Experience Programme launched in 2008, which encourages and empowers patients, carers and staff to work together in partnership to provide patient centred care and improve NHS services for the benefit of everyone;

   The Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill, introduced to the Scottish Parliament in March, which aims to improve patients’ experiences of using health services and support people to become more involved in their health.

  More recently we have also launched the Quality Strategy which will see the quality of care provided by the NHS measured for the first time through patients’ experience and the information used to drive up standards. The Quality Strategy will put patients at the heart of everything the NHS does and give people a new confidence in the health service.

Prison Service

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it estimates that an increase in VAT from 17.5% to 20% would cost the Scottish Prison Service in one year.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Willie Pretswell, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The actual increase in cost will depend on the value of qualifying expenditure incurred by SPS in any one year. However, based on the expenditure profile incurred during 2009-10, it is estimated that an increase in VAT from 17.5% to 20% would have cost the Scottish Prison Service an additional £4 million.

Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when regulations concerning inspections as required by section 58 of the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 will be laid.

Shona Robison: Regulations concerning inspections as required by section 58 of the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 will be laid in time for the effective operation of the new scrutiny bodies’ regulatory regime from April 2011. Full consultation on the regulations will be taking place over summer 2010.

Public Transport

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that good quality bus services are provided according to community need.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government is committed to bus services in Scotland. We are taking forward a number of initiatives with local government partners and bus operators to maintain and improve bus services including statutory Quality Partnerships, Punctuality Improvement Partnerships and the appointment of a Senior Bus Development Advisor.

  The Scottish Government reached an agreement earlier this year with the Confederation of Passenger Transport around funding levels for concessionary travel and the Bus Service Operators Grant which will give budget certainty and stability to the bus industry. This funding amounts to over £240 million in the current financial year.

Recycling

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what support it makes available to enable community groups and charities to access recycling services from their premises.

Richard Lochhead: Zero Waste Scotland – the Scottish Government’s new single Zero Waste delivery programme – delivers a number of initiatives which can help charities and community organisations to access recycling services:

  Its Business Resource Efficiency programme provides advice to small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) (which includes the majority of third sector organisations) on ways to reduce waste, recycle more and use resources more efficiently. This programme includes on-site advice and training and is delivered by the Green Business Partnership in conjunction with stakeholders such as the Federation of Small Businesses Scottish Enterprise and local Chambers of Commerce. 

  This programme also maintains a searchable online directory of recycling collections available to SMEs and third sector organisations at www.wasteawarebusiness.org.uk. 

  The third sector support programme will start a new project in 2010-11 aimed at helping the wider third sector in Scotland become greener, by providing assistance and support on waste prevention, reuse and recycling options.

Roads

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact it considers that the legal challenge to the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route will have on the timescales for delivering the bypass.

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the most up-to-date estimate is of the completion date of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-30121 by Stewart Stevenson on 15 January 2010, whether it remains its position that it expects construction of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route to commence in 2011.

Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3O-10610 on 20 May 2010 which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-10/sor0520-02.htm - Col26427.

  Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs it expects to be created during each stage of the lifecycle of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route project; for how long, and what impact it will have on the local economy.

Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3O-9075 on 14 January 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

  Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3O-6711 by Stewart Stevenson on 30 April 2010 (Official Report c. 16959), when it will announce what funding mechanism will be used for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.

Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3O-10135 on 15 April 2010 which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-10/sor0415-02.htm#Col25389.

  Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made since January 2010 on the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.

Stewart Stevenson: Since the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth announced on the 21 December 2010 to proceed with the scheme significant progress has been made.

  The relevant Schemes and Trunk Road Orders were made and laid before the Scottish Parliament for final approval on 15 January 2010. These were approved by resolution of the Scottish Parliament on 3 March 2010. Following approval of the Scottish Parliament the remaining Orders and Compulsory Purchase Orders were made on 11 March 2010 and published on 24 March 2010. Following this publication 3 legal challenges were lodged with the Court of Session.

Rural Development

Ian McKee (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the frequency is of reviews of the sterling/euro exchange rate for the purposes of payment for high pruning of trees in accordance with the rates indicated in the Scotland Rural Development Programme 2007-2013.

Richard Lochhead: The payment rates for all rural priorities and wider Scotland Rural Development Programme measures are set out in the programme document, and are only amended if a modification is made to the programme to do so. The Sterling/Euro exchange rate used in calculating payment rates was set at the start of the programme and we have no plans to review it.

Teachers

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any local authorities that have suspended the recruitment of teachers on permanent employment contracts and, if so, what representations have been made on this matter.

Michael Russell: We have not received any representations regarding local authorities that have suspended the recruitment of teachers on permanent employment contracts.

  The Scottish Government is fully committed to helping more newly qualified teachers into work. We are working with local authorities to better align local and national decision making in teacher workforce planning to ensure we have the right number of teachers to meet the needs of our pupils.

Wildlife

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many felling licences issued in the last four years included conditions related to minimising disturbance to badgers.

Roseanna Cunningham: Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) has not issued any felling licences in the last four years which included specific conditions relating to minimising disturbance to badgers. FCS does, however, formally notify felling licence applicants of their responsibility under the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 in relation to badgers, and it also provides advice in the form of its guidance on Forest Operations and Badger Setts. Where appropriate, FCS formally consult SNH (and other statutory bodies) on felling licence applications, and any feedback is passed on to the applicant.

  Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Forestry Commission Scotland staff have current bat licences.

Roseanna Cunningham: There are 26 Forestry Commission Scotland staff who currently have bat handling licences.

  Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much unmarked deer fencing remains in capercaillie core areas.

Roseanna Cunningham: The Capercaillie Project Officer, funded by SNH, Forestry Commission Scotland and RSPB keeps a full inventory of the deer fences within one kilometre of active capercaillie lek sites. The inventory shows that the amount of unmarked fencing in these areas is continuing to be reduced, and that it currently stands at 17 kilometres. In line with the Joint Agency Statement on Deer Fencing and the Capercaillie Species Action Framework, discussions are ongoing with the relevant land managers regarding the marking or removal of the remaining fencing. A detailed record of deer fencing is not kept for the other parts of the core areas, where there are generally lower risks of collision for capercaillie, but this fencing is still assessed by the Project Officer who recommends marking or removal where considered necessary.